


Mister and Mister Happy

by AgainThats_1800ImDying



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Had a breakdown and wrote this, M/M, Self-Harm, Suicide, this could be pretty triggering, yes I made an OC just to kill them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-18 16:40:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28870197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgainThats_1800ImDying/pseuds/AgainThats_1800ImDying
Summary: Buttons and Elmer need more content, but I really should not be the one making it. Look at what I’ve done, I’ve gone and screwed them up.To quote my friend: “what are you doing to those poor boys?”
Relationships: Buttons/Elmer (Newsies)
Kudos: 2





	Mister and Mister Happy

Elmer and Buttons had become newsies almost the same reasons. They came from large families, unable to earn enough to feed and clothe that many kids with just two salaries, they sent the older kids out to find work. 

Elmer is a ray of sunshine. Mister happy. Cheerful. Every newsie would have that kind of answer if asked who Elmer is. The newsies didn’t see everything, and Elmer promised himself they never would. Not after poor Smiles. 

Buttons is an amazing tailor. Buttons always smiles. Buttons “Enthusiasm” Davenport. He loved the newsies and the newsies loved him, he’d never know why they would. Nothing would ever break his grin. Not after poor Smiles. 

__________~~~~~__________

Smiles became the leader of the newsies of lower Manhattan three years ago. Smiles always was up bright and early, looking after anyone, old or young, who had a nightmare. He checked the roof every night after he found Blink up there. At the time, no one knew why Smiles was on the roof, they know now. Smiles never let anyone see what his own mind did to him, no matter how bad it got. Every newsie loved Smiles, and Smiles loved every newsie. As they all went to sleep that night having no clue when Racetrack called out for Smiles after his nightmare became too real, that Smiles wouldn’t answer. Smiles would never answer the screams of children again. 

The lodging house residence was quite that week, aside from the occasional sob. They gathered every newsie from every borough who knew Smiles to attend a memorial for him. No one could bare to tell the younger newsies what had happened, all of them saying the same thing “he’s moved on from the newsies and gone somewhere hopefully better.” 

__________~~~~~__________

Buttons always had long sleeves, all the newsies assumed he was just cold. When Race got a few of the newsies to go skinny dipping Buttons stood by their clothes. Once he was reaching up to grab his shoe off the shelf Finch put it on, stupid tall Finch, Elmer caught a glimpse of why he wore long sleeves, poor Buttons. Elmer sure is one to talk. 

When he was 15, he was found in an ally with Albert. They were both confused and had a lot of pent up feelings. Albert suggested trying it out, purely as friends. Elmer agreed on the condition that it wouldn’t go past kissing. Just as soon as their lips met, a pair of bulls walked by. They were both in the refuge for two months, and when asked why they always said they were caught stealing. They agreed never to mention it to the newsies. Elmer knew most, if not all of them were in a similar situation, but it was still considered sinful and no one wanted to meet the business end of a rope for who they loved.

Elmer felt awful about what had happened. Albert had to put up with Snyder constantly calling them boy. Elmer wished Albert had ran, but they didn’t want to leave Elmer to the bulls alone, even if it meant they suffered too. 

Elmer needed something he could control. Decisions he could make. Elmer knew he shouldn’t. You don’t have it bad. Why do you do this to yourself? God would be so disappointed in you. He was grateful pants covered everything he did. If this is your cry for help I pity the person trying to hear it. 

When Elmer was changing, Buttons accidentally walked in the room and saw what Elmer hid. Years of pain marked with something so awful. Buttons apologized and quickly closed the door, pretending his shock was from seeing his friend exposed, not what covered his thighs, poor Elmer. Buttons sure is one to talk. 

Buttons and Elmer are the most cheerful couple you’ll see. Mister and mister happy. Come to think of it, no one really knows what they look like sad. That’s something only the pieces of shattered bottles or old razor blades could describe. Until everything changed. 

__________~~~~~__________

“Shit! Buttons, I’ll be out in a second!” Elmer screamed, trying to keep his voice from wavering. In his haste to pull himself together, Elmer left a few things out, things Buttons recognized. He decided not to bring it up right then, but to wait until they had more time. Buttons was scared his boyfriend was hurting so much. 

“Hey El? You got a sec?” Buttons asked as they were walking back from selling. 

“Sure, what’s up?” Elmer answered with his signature smile beaming from his face. 

Buttons stopped walking and lead Elmer to a quite space between two buildings. “It’s kinda serious, and you don’t have to answer if you don’t feel comfortable. Why when I went into the bathroom the other day was there a razor on the counter, with blood?”

His smile fell, He was terrified, “w-well I was shaving... but accidentally cut myself with the razor. I’m fine really!”

“Elmer I’m so sorry but I know when you’re lying. Please tell me why I wiped blood off the bathroom counter. I love you so much El, I won’t be mad no matter the answer.”

As Buttons spoke, Elmer stopping living in his perfect lie, he broke. For the first time in years wasn’t being strong. For the first time ever, someone saw the real Elmer. “Buttons I- I’m so sorry. I never meant to cause any worry,” yes you did, attention-whore, “I wanted to stop and I tried but I don’t deserve to stop. I don’t deserve to be here. I don’t deserve such a perfect boyfriend, and I’m so sorry that this is is what you have to love. You deserve so much more than me. You should have someone like Tommy Boy or JoJo. Not this broken, chopped up mess.”

“I wouldn’t trade you for the world, love. And that broken, chopped up mess is something we can work on together,” Buttons held Elmer’s shaking hands and brought them up to kiss, “don’t ever think I won’t love you, I’ll be here with you, as long as you let me be.”


End file.
